The Story of Haru, Who Is A Mermaid And Rin, Who Is Not
by PoufyJalapeno
Summary: This is the bittersweet/sweet love story of a human rin and not-so-human haru
1. Chapter 1

It was another typical day for Rin Matsuoka. He awoke to his alarm and left silently to go for his morning run. He took pride in his physique and never ceased to enhance it. He had to keep himself in top shape if he ever expected to get scouted for the Olympics. It was his dream, and he was slowly getting closer to it.

Rin's breaths created soft and formless white clouds as he ran in the chilled air. The cold felt good against his skin, which was slick with a thin layer of sweat. He took a swig of water from his bottle and pushed himself harder, his breath becoming harsher and more ragged. Rin enjoyed routine, and he followed the same path every day. Around half an hour or so later, Rin reached his most favourite part of his run-the harbour. Against the rising sun, the water glimmered beautifully and the scenery was breathtaking. He loved looking at the sea, especially during this time. He paused for a break so he could admire the view. Since it was so early, the area was practically empty. The serene silence calmed Rin, who didn't enjoy large crowds.

A black figure in the water caught his eye. Rin's eyes trailed to the silhouette.

_Ah. He's here again today huh._

From afar, the black haired boy looked around his age, maybe a year or two older. Rin silently watched the figure as he bobbed in the water, up down, up down. It was sort of relaxing, watching him. Once in awhile, the boy would dive under and disappear, down in the water far too long to be human. But each time Rin thought the boy had gone for good, he would resurface. It mesmerized Rin and brought on a small pang of jealousy along with it. Being able to hold his breath that long would be a huge advantage when he raced; but it would only ever be a dream.

_The hell is that kid doing though. He's been doing this every day since I first saw him two weeks ago. It's only getting colder. How can he be swimming in the ocean, of all things, in this temperature. Isn't he cold? _ Rin also loved to swim and he found comfort in the water, but he didn't-or maybe he couldn't- love it like that.

Usually, Rin would watch for a bit and then continue along as he did. Today, for the first time in a long time, he broke his beloved routine

and headed towards the boy.

"Hey you. Oi!" he called out to the figure in the water.

As he ventured closer, Rin's eyes widened slightly.

_Wow_ was all his thoughts could muster.

Up close, the black haired boy, with his pale skin, sharp face and sea blue eyes that sparkled as it reflected the water was undeniably

"Beautiful"

Rin stared blankly for a moment, before realizing that the comment was directed towards him. He started, "Huh?" as he looked down. His face blushed a hue of pink which oddly matched the pink-orange-and-purple of the sky.

_You're the beautiful one,_ Rin thought, his mouth slightly ajar.

The boy in the water was looking up, his clear eyes imploring on Rin's magenta ones. He continued staring, expressionless. Then he realized what he had said. Quickly, he drew his hand up to hide his face and flushed crimson red. His face turned away and he looked down, embarrassed.

"Hey now, what're you getting embarrassed for? You're the one who said it! besides, is that even something you say to a man? I can't say I agree with you either." Rin laughed.

The black haired boy turned back to him with a sour expression. "I take it back then."

"Hm, is that so? Well, whatever. You're a pretty interesting guy, in many ways. My name is Matsuoka Rin. What's yours?"

"Haru...ka" the boy mumbled.

"Haruka what?"

"Just Haruka."

"Got it. Guess I'll call you Haru then. That'a a pretty girly name though, Haruka." Rin smirked.

Haru shot a glare at Rin and retorted, "Like you're one to talk, Rin!"

Although they had just met, Rin was surprised at how well they got along. They seemed to click. Rin wouldn't be able to joke like this with any other stranger. He barely even joked with his friends or teammates. He felt bad about it, but he never felt as though he truly fit in and so he never really tried to.

"You've got me there. Man, what were my parents thinking." Rin grinned, exposing his sharp teeth, "So wonder boy, what exactly are you doing?"

Haru's eyebrows pulled in at the words "wonder boy" but he still answered.

"Swimming."

Rin sighed, "I can see that. But at this time? In this temperature? The water must be freezing!"

Haru shrugged, "It doesn't really bother me..."

"You aren't cold?"

Another shrug. "Not really. The water is nice. I love it. And I like being alone."

Rin nodded, understanding completely.

_He likes being alone too huh. Oh. Is that a sign? _Rin pursed his lips.

"I see...". Crap. Now it was awkward. "Ah! Haru, which school do-"

"Your teeth are very sharp. Like a sharks." Haru mentioned suddenly.

This time, it was Rin's face who pulled into a sour expression. His weird teeth were always a sensitive subject and he didn't like them much. They used to be the reason for his being teased after all. It's not as if he expected Haruka to understand, but it wasn't something a normal person would point out to someone they just met.

"Ah, yeah they are," he said bluntly, "I was born this way; nothing much I can do about them. Even if they are weird."

His eyes prickled.

_Damnit!_ Rin thought. This was another part of him he hated. Unfortunately, against his will, he was by nature, sensitive and his eyes were his biggest giveaway; they liked to spring water like fountains for no reason at all. He was NOT going to cry in front of someone he just met.

"No, that's not what I meant. I like them, your teeth...they're pretty cool. And I admire sharks, even though we don't get along very well." he said matter-of-factly.

This was the first time someone had said something like that to Rin and he didn't know how to respond. He pulled the rim of his running cap down and mumbled a thank-you. Then: "You're a pretty weird guy you know? Besides, who gets along with sharks anyways? They're usually lone predators."

Haru made a noise to show he was thinking. "Well...the Octopi do. So do the whales and the sting rays seem to like them too. They get along well enough."

Rin was confused, "Erm...what?"

Haru's face showed no sign of joking.

"You're joking right?"

He wasn't.

_Shit! This kid is a psycho! No wonder he's swimming in water when it's this cold out._

Being careful so as not to upset Haru, Rin said tentatively, "Is that so? Haha...that's interesting. I see. Well, I better finish my run. So, bye." Rin turned around in a rush.

"What's a run?"

"Hah?!" Rin exclaimed. _As I thought! He IS weird!_ "You don't know what running is? How is that possible? Have you been living under a rock your whole life?!"

Haru answered calmly, "No. I've been here. I don't live under a rock. I sleep on one but it's really comfortable when you line it with seaweed and kelp and stuff."

Rin's head was going in circles. "What are you _talking _about Haru?"

Haru ignored him, "So, what's a run?"

"Well...it's um..this?" Rin jogged in a tight circle

Haru's eyes lit up, "Ohh. I see. I wish I could do that too."

"What do you mean? Course you can. If you would just get outta that water!"

Haru shook his head

"What, you got no legs or somethin'?" he scoffed

From the distance, chimes sounded.

"No, I-"

"Oh Crap! It's this time already?! I'll be late! Haru, right? I'll catch ya later. Don't catch a cold!" Rin called back as he dashed off in the direction of his school.

"I don't have 'legs' is what I was going to say..." Haru mumbled quietly as he submerged himself under the water, blowing out bubbles. He casted his eyes downwards and with a flick, drew his tail upwards.

...

-Do you like? Please tell me! Also, I will for sure put in a lemony scene as part of the epilogue (hence the label of M), but I want to know if you would like one in the main story as well?

Thanks (:

Jem


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh man! That was close!" Rin sighed as the school bell rang, indicating the start of class. _Thank God I had enough time to take a shower._ He settled in his seat near the back along with his classmates. He was vaguely aware that the teacher had arrived and already begun to lecture but he ignored him. He gazed out the window absentmindedly, recalling the morning events that occurred.

_Haru..._it was all he could think about. Even with him being extremely odd, he couldn't deny that he found him interesting and was fond of the blue-eyed-black-haired boy. Besides, judging by his size-from what little he could see anyways-Haru wouldn't stand a chance against him in a fight, if it really came down to it.

"-uoka"

Rin's eyes trailed a pair of birds outside who were busying around and flitting about. From this distance and height, Rin could also just see the harbour.

_I want to go back to the harbor and swim too._

"-atsuoka"

_I wonder what Haru is doing now. Doesn't he go to school? Maybe he's a NEET. _The thought made rin chuckle softly.

"Matsuoka Rin!"

Rin snapped back to the present. "Yes sensei!"

The entire class was staring at him quietly. _Great, just what I need._

"Come up here and solve this question. And pay attention. I know you're a good student; your smart. But that doesn't mean you can or should drift off in class. Understand?"

"Yes. I'm sorry..." Rin stood and sauntered up to the board

School finally ended. Rin was relieved; it seemed like a long day today. Also, it was time for his club activities, which he was excited for. He was eager to feel the water against his skin.

"Matsuoka-senpai!" a familiar, high pitched voice called out to him.

Rin turned around and saw Nitori, his underclassman jog towards him. The silver haired boy was slight in his figure, but he was friendly and really looked up to Rin. "Yo, Nitori. What's up."

"You are heading to the pool now right? Let's go there together!"

Rin made a soft grunting sound and resumed walking. Rin knew Nitori was a good guy, but he didn't really like him. He respected the energy and determination Nitori possessed but found it just as annoying as it was admirable. His constant loud voice and bouncing didn't appeal to Rin who, like his teeth, resembled a shark; preferring to be alone and stayed quiet; unless of course, he was angered. If he had to compare, he'd much prefer the company of Haru. He was beyond weird and was really quiet, but there was something that attracted Rin to him. His blue eyes maybe, crystal clear and intense and-

_Hm?_ Rin paused a moment. _Nonono, what am I saying. I'm sounding like some girl. Haru's just different, that's all._

But then, what was this feeling, ever so small, that was forming in the depths of his heart?


	3. Chapter 3

Last time was a really short one, sorry! This one should (hopefully) be longer. As always, I hope you continue to enjoy! It might be a bit slow for now, but it will pick up as I go along. I just really want to try and set the atmosphere and build a story without going too much into detail (: -xoxo-Jem

Rin was an excellent swimmer. Rin stood out at Samezuka Academy-who were well known for their swimming team- even among his team mates. He himself knew it; after all, he was striving to become number one in order to win the Olympic title, which was his childhood dream. There was almost no one who could beat him, especially not in his speciality. Captain Mikoshiba would be one of the few exceptions though.

That man was a monster.

"All right everyone! Places!"

Rin took his place on the starting block. He adjusted his goggles and pulled the strap back, letting it snap against his head as he secured them. Crouching down, he waited for the whistle to blow. And

When it did,

He flew.

By the time practice was over, it was already dark outside. The sky was dark blue and grey, illuminated only by the small streaks of sunlight that crept past the clouds above. Although Rin had initially planned on returning to the harbour _just in case_ the water loving boy was still around, he was exhausted from practice. He wasn't able to swim as he usually did-he was distracted-and it showed in his time. Besides, he still had homework to do and he was starving. He needed meat. Now.

"Man, what a pain." he sighed as he headed towards the dorms with the other swim members.

On his way, he dropped by the cafeteria to grab food. Though it was quite late, the cafe was infested with people, as it was a social gathering site. Normally, this didn't bother Rin too much, but at the moment he was disappointed with himself and the buzzing of overlapping chatter overwhelmed him.

He wanted something substantial but settled for two deluxe meat buns, which he took back to his room. As soon as he was inside the door, he kicked off his shoes and socks, stripped, and changed into a comfortable pair of black sweatpants and his favourite maroon beater. Nitori was nowhere to be found.

_I think I saw him downstairs. He's gotta be there, eating with the others._

He took a moment to appreciate the silence. Then, he turned to his textbooks and opened the first bun, his mouth tearing into it viciously. The bread and meat filling fell apart easily at the mercy of his sharp teeth. It was still warm.

Rin rubbed his eyes and mumbled "Tired." Even though Rin didn't sleep much, he was always full of vigour, especially when it came to swimming. Usually, he would go on late night jogs, but tonight, it seemed impossible.

He had just finished his work when Nitori entered.

"Senpai! There you are! Everyone was wondering where you went." his eyes sparkled and he beamed at Rin.

_Too bright._

"Ah. Yeah...I had homework. And I'm tired so I'm going to sleep. Nitori, you should sleep early too. You worked hard today." Rin rose from the bed to grab his toiletries and started for the door.

"Eh! That's unusual for you, senpai."

"Mmpf." Rin grunted as he let the door shut behind him.

After brushing his teeth and washing his face, Rin sauntered back to his room. Without even a second glance to Nitori, he chucked his toothbrush, toothpaste, and towel on his table and collapsed onto the bed. He crept under the blankets, pulling them up to his chin and rolled so that he was facing the wall; he quickly fell prey to the darkness.

_Beep...Beep... Beep..._

_Shut up._

_Bee... Beep... Beep..._

_What's that noise? So annoying._

_Beep Beep Beep!_

_Ugh, go away!_

**BEEP BEEP BEEP**

_OI!_

Rin shot up at the horrible and intrusive sound. He opened one eye, then the other. He turned over then, and realized the noise was coming from his alarm.

_Oh right, I have to go run. B_ut as Rin started to awaken, he realized something was off...

It was awfully bright to be 6:30 a.m.

He checked the clock behind him and it read 7:30 a.m.

He had slept through his first alarm.

"Shit!" cursed Rin as he scrambled up from bed.

Without looking he called to Nitori, "Nitori! Get up!". Rin rarely ever missed his morning runs and even then, would naturally wake by seven. The second alarm was more for Nitori. Although he didn't look it, he was a relentless sleeper and was very difficult to wake.

When Rin didn't receive an answer, he took a closer look at Nitori's bed.

Which was empty.

_That asshole! _

Rin didn't have much time to think, he dressed quickly and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. When he finished and headed out, he bumped into

"Nitori!" Rin growled.

As if oblivious to the glare that came from Rin's eyes, Nitori greeted him warmly. "Oh Senpai! You're awake. I was just about to come up and check on you. Here, I brought you breakfast!". He handed over a small white plastic bag that held an assortment of buns and onigiri. Rin took the bag. He _wanted_ to give Nitori an earful, but decided against it. his eyes softened and he gave a tiny smile.

"Thanks."

Rin, with Nitori trailing close by, started in the direction of school. He was only vaguely aware of the content of Nitori's rambling, but politely made appreciative noises and replies where necessary. He was a bit upset, as he missed his morning run. He also missed his chance to see Haru as well.

_I didn't get to run today...I wonder if Haru was crazy enough to swim in the ocean today too. What if...he was waiting for me? I wanted to see him._

His eye twitched suddenly, at the realization of his thoughts.

He sighed.

Today was going to be a long day as well.


	4. Chapter 4

Another Not-so-Long one. It's been forever. So sorry! I had a writers block for the longest time and then when I finally got some notes and outlines done, they were mistakenly trashed. I sort of gave up for awhile until now. Um...but yeah. This was legit done on the spot so I'm sorry if it's not good. I've forgotten some stuff so if there are discrepancies, I hope you can please forgive me. It should be getting a little more romantic soon and again, if people want it, I'll see if I can shimmy in a M-rated scene in the main story as well as my (likely multiple) epilogues.  
>I really like epilogues.<p>

Anyhoo, sorry, thank you and enjoy (:

Xoxo-Jem

Classes were boring and Rin found himself constantly staring off into the harbour. It didn't help that the classes were hard at Samezuka and being so preoccupied with swimming, he hasn't put as much effort as he usually does into studying. Still, Rin fared well in school and maintained good grades.

Though it was usually Rin's longing to jump into the pool and swim, today he found his legs restless.

He wanted to run.

There was practice again after school so there was no time for him to run today, he'd have to wait until tomorrow. It was the weekend and as a treat for practicing so hard every day, Captain Mikoshiba gave everyone a day off. Rin _had_ been planning on using it to relax but since he _did_ miss his morning jog, he'd have to make up for it...maybe by running around the harbour.

Ack. He looks mad.

Haru's eyes were as sea-blue as ever, reflecting the water and sky as usual, but today they seemed a little...darker.

It was Saturday afternoon and Rin had jogged down to the harbour again. He grinned, flashing his teeth when he saw a familiar figure bobbing inconspicuously in the water.

_I knew it._

He slowed his pace as he reached the dark haired boy and called out "Yo! Haru!"

The water-loving boy turned swiftly, almost like he was a mermaid or something. The idea made Rin's heart flop. _I NEED to compete with this kid. How is he so graceful like that? _He gave a curt wave and expected the usual imploring eyes.

What he didn't expect was

"How come you weren't here yesterday?" Haru asked. His face was blank and he didn't _look_ angry, but somehow Rin could tell.

Surprised, he scratched his head and grinned apologetically, "Ah...sorry Haru. I overslept yesterday."

Haru's eyebrows scrunched tighter, "I waited a long time you know."

This attitude irked Rin a bit and he furrowed his own brows, "Hah?! I said I was sorry. You don't need to be on my case, what are you, a girl?"

"I'm not. But you said "catch you later". At first I thought you were seriously going off to fetch a net and I was worried because Makoto had been caught in a net before and he got injured pretty badly...but when I asked Rei and Nagisa, they told me that it's human speak for "see you soon"."

Human speak? He doesn't even know phrases like that? He must be a sheltered young master or something.

Rin chuckled, his earlier mood lifted. Haru was just so..._different_ that he sometimes didn't know how to react. The things he said were so abnormal that Rin simply followed his natural conversation instincts and ignored it.

Then, as smooth as a fish, the two broke into conversation. They talked about many things-though it was mainly about Rin (who did most of the talking). Haru was the quiet type but still had an opinion and things to say. He talked about his travels and how he really, really, _really _liked mackerel. Their conversation flowed smoothly; it pleased Rin and it seemed to please Haru too.

Rin was indisposed several times too, as Haru nonchalantly praised him again for his "beautiful shark-like teeth", "long lashes", "nice hair" and "sparkly eyes". It overwhelmed Rin and his face was as flushed as his hair. To escape the compliments he shifted the conversation in a different direction, using his favourite Haru-phrase:

"But man, you sure _are_ a weird one. I've never met anyone like you before. Ah, by the way, who're these friends you mentioned earlier? It was Rei, Nagisa, and Makoto right? Am I supposed to know them?" he asked as he racked his brain for faces. But no one popped in mind.

"I'm not weird. And no, you don't." Haru shook his head.

"Do they go to your school or club or something then?"

Haru's face became even more solemn, "I-We don't really go to school. But we live in the same area I guess."

"Whoa! So you're a NEET after all. So all you do is swim in the ocean all day? I don't really get it but that's the dream, huh."

"What's a NEET?"

Rin snorted, "You. You're a NEET".

Haru's eyes shimmered at Rin's snort. It resembled the sea lions he often met and while he didn't usually like the sound, coming from Rin it was...endearing. But Rin was wrong. He wasn't a NEET, whatever that was. He was

"A mermaid".

"Hm?"

"Rin, I'm not a NEET. I'm a mermaid".

"Sure you are Haru. That's what I thought too. You're graceful in the water I'll give you that".

"You don't believe me."

"Of course not. Look at you. You've got a loose screw somewhere in that head of yours, sure, but ya look as human as it can get. You're eyes are a little creepy though."

Haru frowned, "I'm not lying, Rin. I'm a mermaid".

It suddenly hit Rin. For the second time. He brushed it off the first time because there was something that drew him to this water-loving boy but how could he forget?

_He's a looney case. He's weird in the head, spends all his time in the freezing water and he's beyond socially awkward._

But, as he learned in Australia, one should be open and without judgement.

"'Kay...prove it." he said

Haru positioned himself accordingly and lifted the water up in a splash with his glistening

Rin's jaw dropped.

"T-T-TAIL?!"


	5. Chapter 5

"Y-you have a-that's a-you're a-!"

"Mermaid. I told you so."  
>"B-but they don't exist. It's folklore. Were you experimented on or something?!"<p>

"Rin, that's rude. How would you like it if I said you shouldn't exist. Is it that weird? I didn't freak out when I first those weird things that stick out of your bodies that you use to 'run'."

"That's because we're normal!" he exclaimed.

"You're being rude again."

"You've got to be kidding me. Are you...are you serious? You're ACTUALLY..." Rin's mind was spinning. Perhaps he had been working too hard and he was seeing things.

Haru's tail flicked and the metallic scales shimmered against the sun, "Rin...?"

What if _he_ was the one with who actually had a loose screw?

"I can't...I need some time to...is this even real?"

"Rin. Look at me. I am real. It's not a big issue."

"Of course it is! You're a MERMAID Haru! You...You've got a t-tail!"

Haru's eyes began to darken into a stormy grey.

The wind began to pick up.

"Look Rin, I told you already. Can you please just-" he stopped. His eyes lightened as his head tilted ever so slightly to the left. The wind softened and with the softest hiss, Haru turned-his tail caressing the water's surface- as he gracefully dipped into the water, like a dolphin, and disappeared.

Even in his utter shock, Rin was mesmerized by the way Haru swam as he submerged himself into the sea. His eyes could not tear away in the moment it took for him to vanish.

Then he snapped back to himself.

"Oi! What the hell Haru, where did you go you jerk! Hey! Haru!"

"You can't just _leave_ after dropping a grenade on me like that! Oi! Ha-" Rin was cut off by the familiar footsteps and voice of his kouhai.

"Rin-Senpai!~" Nitori called in his trademark voice as he waved vigorously. "Rin-Senpai, there you are! I've been looking for you. You took longer than usual and I was worried so I came to look for you. Ah! But I had a feeling you would be here. You really like the water don't you!" he smiled.

Rin's gaze was fixed on the spot where Haru went under

He answered, "The ocean calms me, I guess."

"That's true! There are a lot of crazy things and mysterious creatures that live in the ocean too! It's all very interesting!"

"Yeah...mysterious creatures huh."

"What's wrong Rin-Senpai? Are you feeling unwell? Aha! Don't tell me, did you get enchanted by a mermaid?"

Rin jerked his head towards Nitori, "What did you say?"

Nitori's face dropped and he backed away, "I was just joking Rin-Senpai. You don't need to look so angry. Mermaids aren't real after all!".

Rin looked out again into the setting sun. He didn't realize that so much time had passed. "Right".

Nitori pursed his lips and he spun around playfully and added, "Ah! But, there is a rumour that there is a mermaid living in this harbour."

"Uh! Really? Who said that? What did it look like?"

"Rin-Senpai, you're pretty into this!~ Do you like these kinds of stories?~ Mm...it was a classmate of mine back in middle school. He said that he was at this harbour one night for New Years Eve with his friend when he saw a person in the water. When he called out to them, they quickly swam away but he said he saw a large tail emerge. But it was dark so the tail could have been a harbour seal or something. My friend swears the person was a half human and half fish though. I remember him yelling up and down when break was over that he saw a mermaid."

"Did...anyone believe him?" Rin asked tentatively

"Hm~ No, they didn't. No one else saw it so they thought he was just making things up. He was teased because of it for awhile too."

Rin grunted softly, "Yeah. Figures."

"Why the sudden interest, Senpai?~ Did you perhaps meet a mermaid too?"

"As if, don't be stupid, Nitori. They don't exist...they're just folklore. You're friend must have been seeing things." He turned away from the water and started heading back to school. "Let's go. I'm hungry and it's almost time for dinner."

"Yes!~"

Behind the rocks, hidden by the shadows, Haru was leaning on a wooden pole. His eyes were paled by the retreating sun. He sunk further into the cold waters and fixed his eyes downcast in frustration and hurt.  
>"Hmph, I told you I was real. I even <em>showed<em> you my...so why are you denying my existence...Rin?"


	6. Chapter 6

Still feeling hurt by the words uttered by Rin earlier, Haru began to make his way back down to his home underwater. His movements were sluggish, unlike his usual beautiful strokes. It was quite dark now but Haru could see just fine. He was, after all, part fish.

"Haru! Haru, wait!" a distant voiced called out to him.

Haru craned his head in the direction of the sound.

"Makoto.."

A beautiful green flickered and shimmered as it approached Haru, who had slowed to a stop. Makoto's figure began to take shape as he drew closer, "Haru! Where have you _been?_ Don't tell me you've been at the surface _again?_ You know we've been warned about this-"

Haru was stone faced but he couldn't hide the smidge of sadness that crept through.

"Oh, Haru...you look upset. Is it because of...the boy on land?"

Haru remained silent but his eyes shifted to the side

"It _is_. But never mind that, there's a more pressing issue right now! The Iwatobi Policy Keepers are looking for you! They've sent out guards. You need to get away from here Haru." Makoto exclaimed

_The Policy Keepers?_ This was serious. Haru spun quickly to see if his pursuers were near; they were not. He was stubborn. He didn't want to run or hide; it made it seem like he did something wrong. However...

"I guess I did." he muttered

"Eh, what did you say H-" Makoto asked before he was interrupted by voices

"There he is! Seize him!" The Iwatobi Guards were in the distance and approaching quickly.

"Eek! Haru, they're coming. Hurry, go now!"

With a quick stroke of his tail, Haru thrust forward, away from his pursuers. He could hear them bellow after him and it shook the dark waters.

"Nanase Haruka! We demand you come with us, you are under suspicion!"

Haru dove deeper and maneuvered himself swiftly around the rocks and walls. He found a large crevice and swam in to hide. Although he was one of the fastest swimmers in the Iwatobi Kingdom, it would be impossible even for him to escape several pursuers. Besides, even if he _could_ outswim the guards, he wouldn't be able to compete against the guard's Dall's Porpoises.

Haru waited and saw the guards fly past him in confusion, "Damn! Where did that kid go?". The blue tailed boy remained quiet for what seemed like ages. It was silent and the water was stagnant; it was hard to breath. He poked his head out; it was completely pitch black by now, as night had fallen. It was harder to see around him, but Haru could still sense the smells and vibrations in the water. it didn't _seem_ like anything was around him.

_Maybe they gave up_.

Haru emerged from the crevice and swam up as gracefully as he could to prevent being detected. Quickly he darted in the direction towards his hideout cave. He would contact Makoto and the others later, when he had the chance.

He was nearly there when suddenly there was movements in the water. Haru faltered for a moment.

Then the sounds came, high pitched calls rang through the nearby waters.

_Shit!_

Haru zipped forward as fast as he could go. It was the Dall's Porpoises. They must have been sent out by the guards looking for him. But Haru didn't know which direction they were coming and he knew the Porpoises didn't exactly know his location either. So Haru continued forward toward the direction of his hideout. Until-

The vibrations and sounds got louder. Haru shuddered. They were behind him, he could tell that much. But if he knew where they were...

Then they knew where he was.

Haru swam faster and faster but they were approaching. It wasn't even 5 minutes before he could see them, their grey torpedo bodies were masked in the darkness, hidden from most predators, but the mermaids had excellent vision.

Haru stayed focused but he was exhausted and his tail was cramping. He could feel his speed begin to slow.

And then suddenly something hit into him from behind.

Haru was thrown off balance and stumbled. With one last swing he tried to turn...

And crashed straight into a soft, jellied body.

_urghh_.

It was an octopus. The Guard's catcher octopus. Haru detested the creatures. They were sly and had an uncomfortable texture. Their slime was also incredibly hard to get off.

"Ahh!"

The Octopus' tentacles quickly grabbed hold of Haru and wrapped around him tightly, preventing any movement. Haru's struggles were futile. The arms held him stationary and the suction cups were adhered all over his body. The sensation of them was extremely off-putting; the way they sucked and slid all over made Haru cringe. Four of the arms encircled his tails while one arm held Haru's arms twisted behind his back. the other three were wrapped around his torso and neck. As the tentacles shifted about, they left trails of thick mucus all over his body.

"Let. Me. Go!" Haru yelled as he tried to wiggle free. All it did was made the octopus hold on tighter. The Porpoises came up from behind and led the Octopus-with Haru enshrined within its arms- back to the Iwatobi Kingdom.


	7. Chapter 7

Here's a short one! Hope you enjoy (:

To be honest I really did want to elaborate on this scene more but...I just couldn't find too much to write.

As for the scene...please imagine something along the lines of little mermaid, haha.

Thanks for waiting and sticking with me. It's reading break right now so I hope to pump out at LEAST another 3 or maybe even 4 (but likely 3) before school starts again and I become dead inside and go on another year long or so hiatus.

"Stupid." Haru muttered

Haru sat stubbornly inside the cell that he was placed in shortly after returning to the Kingdom. His tail was aching from the chase and his body was still covered in the octopus' slime. His torso and arms had imprints of the creature's suction cups-and they were itchy. His eyes were fixed on the stone cuffs that bound his hands together. The rough rope that was tied to Haru's torso and kept him anchored to a wall outside his cell rubbed against his delicate skin, chaffing them. He was mad.

So very, very mad.

The guards were smug with the fact that they caught him and teased him.

"Ha! Did you really think you could outswim us? I'll commend you for even getting that far." one of the guards said

"I did though. Outswim you." Haru said defiantly.

The guard clicked his tongue and growled, "What did you say, kid? Don't think just because you're good at swimming and have won a few competitions that you're special or anything. You're lucky you've gotten away with all the things you've done so far." the other replied. "Keh, whatever. Oi, my shift is over. I'll leave him to you."

The first guard nodded, his mean eyes fixed on Haru. He grinned. "You should take care of your appearance more. You look...like you could be eaten at any time."

Haru stayed silent and simple turned away from the guard. _Gross._

The Guard huffed, "Hmpf! Young kids these days have absolutely no discipline or respect... Oh! Officer Yamazaki Sousuke, hello."

Yamazaki Sousuke was one of the head Guards in the Iwatobi Kingdom. Although he was young- only a few years older than Haru- his amazing performance quickly sent him to the top. He was one of the few who could keep up with Haru.

"...Thanks for your hard work." he turned to Haru, "Hey, kid. Since you didn't want to cooperate with us sooner, we couldn't set a time for your trial. Tomorrow and the day after is all booked up; we don't have time to deal with you-plus we want to punish you-therefore, your trial will be set for three days from now..."

Haru's head snapped around quickly, his striking blue eyes angry and set on Yamazaki Sousuke's face. He glared at the man.

"...and in the mean time you'll be spending your days here, reflecting on your actions...hopefully."

The other guard chuckled, "Serves you right kid."

"Three days?!" exclaimed Haru, "I'm not spending the next two days here. Let me out. You can't trap me in here!"

"Hah? And risk you swimming off again and making us go on a chase? Besides, it's your fault for swimming away in the first place. Like I said, if you hadn't, we could have made room for you earlier." Sousuke let out a sigh and shook his head.

"Haru, if you cannot follow the law here you're going to end up in trouble...this isn't the first time you've been warned. Though really I could care less to what happens to a law-breaking brat like you."

Haru grew fierce. "What did I even do?!"

But Haru knew, in the depths of his mind.

"You know what you did, don't you?" Sousuke replied, "I understand you are curious and fascinated with the earth world. But you're breaking the law by going up there all the time. It's two different worlds...And the humans are unfriendly, evil beings that dirty the water and hunt our fish, not to mention attack us."

"Yeah! Do you want to get all of us killed kid?!" The other guard chimed, "Many of the others have reported seeing you at the surface, even after we told ya not to! And don't think we don't know about that _human" _he spat the word in disgust "that you've been conversing with."

Haru twitched and his eyes grew worrisome.

"Don't..Leave him be. He hasn't done anything wrong."

"But you have. We'll leave it up to the court three days from now to decide your fates. In the meantime. Just sit tight and don't do anything reckles." Sousuke said and he turned to leave.

"I'll leave the rest to you. He's sneaky. Keep an eye on him."

The guard smiled in admiration, "Yes Officer Yamazaki, I will. You can leave it to me! Please have a safe night."

Sousuke nodded and left.

The Guard turned back to Haru, "Seriously though, Haru. You've gone too far this time...with the boy."

Haru's face had cracked and he looked noticeably upset. He shrunk away and flopped down onto the bed in the cell. Curled into a ball, he could only think of the red haired boy at the surface.

_What will I do if I can't see him? He'll think that I left or something. What if he gets mad and doesn't want to talk to me anymore? Two days...that's too long._

In the darkness of the cell, Haru quickly grew tired. His eyes fluttered shut, putting to rest his blue eyes.

"_Rin..."_


	8. Chapter 8

p class="MsoNormal"Mer...maid huh?/p  
>p class="MsoNormal"The night had passed and Rin was still in shock. His eyes were heavy from the lack of sleep, but he couldn't drift off. He decided to stay in bed and miss his morning run. It was hard to go back to the ocean after what happened. Besides...p  
>p class="MsoNormal"He kept replaying the scene of haru's...tail the entire night.p  
>p class="MsoNormal"Surely, his eyes were playing tricks on him.p  
>p class="MsoNormal""A joke," Rin muttered under his break, "it must have been a joke...or a prank. There's just no way."p  
>p class="MsoNormal"Their town was situated close to the ocean and the local residents loved folklore like that. It was a subject that was brought up often in conversations, though usually as part of a joke. Although there were times when surfers or fisherman would say they saw a mermaid, it's not as though they could prove it and no one ever believed them.p  
>p class="MsoNormal"Rin furrowed his brows further "Cosplay maniac? Wouldn't hold it against him."p  
>p class="MsoNormal"emAh. Maybe he does have a loose screw after all.em/p  
>p class="MsoNormal""Hrmmmmmmmmm..."p  
>p class="MsoNormal""Um, Rin-Senpai? Are you alright? You've been grunting and mumbling for awhile now...". A light flickered on and illuminated the room in a soft yellow glow. A dark figure peeked over the top railing of the bunked and cast a shadow onto the ground.p  
>p class="MsoNormal"Rin squinted and gave a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the light. His eyes rolled upward towards the Nitori. "Ahh...sorry bout that Nitori. Just have some stuff on my mind. Did I wake you?"p  
>p class="MsoNormal""Mm~ I see. Not at all! It is time for me to get up anyway for school. But if you've got something on your mind, would you like to talk about it?"p  
>p class="MsoNormal"Rin sighed and smiled. "Nah...it's nothing huge, so don't worry. Thanks though, Nitori. You're a good guy."p  
>p class="MsoNormal"Nitori's eyes sparkled, "Rin-Senpai!~"p  
>p class="MsoNormal"That snapped him out of his mood. "Oi, hurry up and start getting ready. You're the slowest one."p  
>p class="MsoNormal"His underclassman's reply was swift as he hopped down, "Yes, Senpai!~"p  
>p class="MsoNormal"After Nitori had left the room, Rin continued to lay in his bed for awhile, contemplating and processing his thoughts. He was frustrated and still couldn't emquiteem believe what he had just seen/p  
>p class="MsoNormal"BUT...p  
>p class="MsoNormal""There's only one way to find out." he grunted as he sat up from his bed.p  
>p class="MsoNormal"He tousled his crimson hair and pushed his messy bangs from his eyes.p  
>p class="MsoNormal"emI'll go see him tonight and confirm the truth for myself.em/p  
>p class="MsoNormal"It was a very simple decision, certainly not a revelation of any sort. But it seemed to clear the cloudiness of Rin's mind. This was more like him after all. He was someone who would take on any challenge or obstacle, head on, at full force leaving nothing but a trail of water behind.p  
>p class="MsoNormal"Besides, he couldn't deny that he emwantedem to see Haru again./p  
>p class="MsoNormal""Rin...Oh man, you shit. You've got it bad."p  
>p class="MsoNormal" And he jumped out of bed.p 


	9. Chapter 9

School passed by as usual. Rin kept his focus in the classroom. Practice also passed by with a breeze, as Rin had been training hard every day. His goal was the Olympics, after all.

After practice, Rin called for Nitori.

"Hey Nitori, could you bring my stuff up to the room? You can just dump it on my bed."

The silver-haired boy replied enthusiastically, "Yes, of course! Ehe~ where are you heading to?"

"Nowhere in particular, I just want to take a stroll."

"Now?! You haven't even eaten yet!" Nitori exclaimed.

Rin hushed him. _Busybody._ "Nitori, you're being loud for no reason. I'm not hungry. I'll grab a bite out if it comes to it. So stop already? You're acting like my mother or something. Anyways, I'm gonna go. I'll be back before roll call ok?"

Rin was getting a little impatient-and irritated- he wanted to go see Haru and confirm with his own eyes what he had seen last night. Besides, he didn't want to keep Haru waiting, in case he was waiting for him. He ruffled Nitori's head and turned to go.

"Ah! It's a girl isn't it! That's why you're being so sneaky!" Nitori chimed loudly; a few heads turned around, quizzically, as he continued, " Rin-Senpai, did you get a girlfriend or somethrngpmf?!"

Rin, quite shocked, whipped around faster than ever and slapped his palm against Nitori's BIG mouth and hissed.

Perhpas growled would be more accurate.

He breathed out sharply and dragged Nitori away from the crowd, "Will. You. Shut it. With your big. Mouth."

Nitori was silent, eyes wide.

He looked scared, and it made Rin feel bad. He calmed down a little. Nitori was like this after all. He didn't like it, but he wasn't saying this out of animosity. He sighed deeply. "Sorry, if I scared you. But you should know by now how I hate that kinda stuff, especially in front of those jokesters. Nitori, you need to seriously let me do my own thing without chiming in like you do, okay?"

Nitori nodded twice.

"Okay. I'm going to go now. For the record, it's NOT a girl. Ya hear? I repeat. Not. A. Girl. I'm just going for a walk. Really." This time when he turned to leave, there was no sound behind him.

"Arghh..." Rin grunted. Now he felt like the bad guy. It's not like he _wanted_ to act that way but he couldn't help it. Nitori was being...well...Nitori.

His shoes scuffed against the gravel road as he walked. The night was still young but the March air was chilly and the gentle breeze coming from the ocean didn't help.

However, Rin loved the town at night. Lights from buildings, shops, and lights lit up the streets and seemed to twinkle and dance in the distant. It wasn't as impressive as the other, more urbanized centers of course, but it was still a sight.

Faster than expected, Rin arrived by the harbour. He tried to make out any figure that would resemble Haru, but it was getting dark and he couldn't see too far in front of him. The lamps that lined the walkway were few and not very bright, so he started to stepped closer.

He didn't want to startle the guy-er fish?-off.

Even as he drew closer to the water, he couldn't see Haru. He didn't exactly want to call out his name or act too suspiciously either; although the area was practically empty, there were still some people strolling around, appearing within his range now and then.

Also, because Haru was possible a mermaid. Who knows what would happen if others found out.

Rin drew right up to the edge of the harbour, on the wooden walkway provided. Although the walkway extended further into the water, he dared not venture further as there were no lights. He peered over into the black water, but again, no Haru.

Rin let a small sigh of disappointment.

"Haru?" he whispered quietly.

When no response came, he whispered a little louder and then even louder the third time-but not enough to draw attention to himself. Haru was nowhere in sight.

"Odd." Rin mumbled.

Well, now that Haru was actually a mermaid and therefore couldn't come out of the water, it was odd. Though all the other things that made Haru a mystery were now a lot more clear.

Rin stared out into the sea, his eyes focusing and un-focusing, for what seemed to be ages but in reality-upon looking at his watch- had not even been 15 minutes . He was hoping, really hoping, that Haru would pop up so he could see him, hear his voice.

"Oh Geez..!" Rin smacked his face with his palm. The one that was odd was _himself_. His attitude as of late has been very unlike his usual self. He hadn't even known Haru long. "It hasn't even been a _day."_

This was becoming a pattern.

_But, maybe it's friendship. Yeah. This must be it. I haven't found anyone I could really connect with or be comfortable around until Haru, so I guess this is just the remnants of meeting someone-_a friend-_ who was compatible with m, so I'm just a little irked._

Although he was a cheerful and personable person as a younger kid, he had grown to be more solemn and liked to keep to himself. It wasn't that he was _rude_...but things happened that changed his personality. Haru brought back some of his old self-his better self-and it made Rin feel good.

That's exactly what this was.

_Mermaids probably sleep too,_ he thought. Haru must have just turned in for the night or something.

"Guess I should too."

As if on cue, Rin's stomach made a loud noise and he felt the pang of hunger.

_I need food._

Most of the shops were closed so Rin swung by 24 hour conbini and grabbed two spicy pork buns and a Pocari Sweat before heading back to the dorms. When he reached his room, he paused for a moment and decided to give a warning knock before stepping inside.

"Hey Nitori..."

Niroti was sitting in his desk wearing a black and white striped T-shirt and a pair of powder blue shorts. He got up quickly, "Ahm.."

"Sorry about today Rin-senpai!"

"Sorry bout today Nitori."

They had apologized at the same time.

The two looked at each other and grinned.

"I was aggressive for no reason, my bad." Rin said

"Ah, I admit I was a little taken back, but it was my fault for being so nosy as well. Please accept my apologies." Nitori replied.

"We're good then, yeah?" Rin asked.

"Of course!~"

"Alright then. That's good. You're a good guy Nitori. Annoying and a busybody, but a good guy." Rin said as he grabbed his toiletries.

"Hey, that isn't a compliment..." Nitori pouted.

"Haha." Rin waved back as he left the room.


End file.
